Conventional semiconductor fabrication systems transport a plurality of wafers in a sealed wafer carrier such as a sealed container or pod, thereby maintaining the wafers in a clean/controlled environment. Thus, conventional processing systems include a plurality of wafer carrier loading stations where the sealed pods are opened, wafers are extracted therefrom and are loaded into the processing system. Each wafer carrier loading station comprises a wafer carrier platform adapted to receive a sealed pod, which contains a cassette of wafers, and a wafer carrier opener adapted to engage and unlatch a door portion of the pod(hereinafter a pod door).
In operation, the wafer carrier platform receives a pod and moves the pod horizontally toward the wafer carrier opener. Thereafter, the wafer carrier opener engages and unlatches the pod door. A first actuator moves the pod door horizontally away from the wafer carrier platform, and then a second actuator moves the pod door vertically downward to provide clear access to the wafers in the pod. Hence, the wafer carrier opener requires the use of two separate actuators, which increases equipment expense.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved wafer carrier opener having a pod door that moves both vertically and horizontally while using only a single actuator, thus satisfying the ever-present demand for reduced cost per unit wafer processed.